


Michael Takes Charge

by luvspnl



Category: Elemental Series - Brigid Kemmerer
Genre: Air Powers, Book Spoilers, Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Angst, Brotherly Love, Brothers, Dysfunctional Family, Earth Powers - Freeform, Elementals, Family, Family Drama, Family Dynamics, Fire Powers, Four Elements, Four brothers - Freeform, Gen, Orphans, Pre-Series, Spanking, Teenagers, Twin Brothers, Twins, Water Powers, big brother in charge, elemental powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-07
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-11-28 22:02:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11427099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luvspnl/pseuds/luvspnl
Summary: Michael Merrick is the eldest of four boys, in charge of his younger brothers. Novel series. Preseries.





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> The Elemental Series is a series of (up to now)   5 books and a few mini stories. The premise is that there are four brothers, and they each can control an element. However, having that much power, being a full Elemental verses the other punier but still power filled Elementals is considered a reasonable condition to merit death. Oh, and the kids come into their power around ages 11-13 so yeah. While trying to protect their kids, the brothers’ parents get killed in a house fire. The eldest son, Michael, was a senior in HS and the only elemental in the family (other than parents). That night, they discovered Gabriel's power, fire. Just before then, the youngest brother, Christopher, and Michael had been attacked and almost drowned by bully Elemental teens. Chris learned he had the power of water. (I can't remember how Nicholas -4th bro and Gabriel’s twin- learned of his power; but he controls air.) So, for the past six years, Michael has been in charge. He finished HS, I think it's mentioned he took some college courses too?, and he is now the owner of his father’s landscape business. Which suits Michael, as an Earth Elemental. Their dad was also an Earth, but nowhere near as powerful as Michael. Mom was an Air, but again not full Elemental. 
> 
> And then there's Becca. Becca Chandler is 16, like Chris and defends Chris from being beat up by two Elemental bullies, Tyler and Seth. Stuff happens, stuff happens. There's a new kid in school, Hunter. Stuff happens. Yadayada read the books, they're awesome and 
> 
> Spoilers if you want to read the stories (Which you so should!) and don't like spoilers stop here! If you'll read but don't mind spoilers, continue on :))
> 
>  
> 
> Seriously, Spoilers!!
> 
>  
> 
> So, Becca and Hunter are the fifth Elementals, spirit. They can control all of the elements, amplify other Elementals, and are supposed to be reported so that they can become Guides. Guides aren't as friendly as they sound. Their purpose is to keep the other Elementals in check, and if a Full Elemental is found, Guides are supposed to kill them.
> 
> Becca's father, who left when she was 11, when a Guide was called on the Merricks, is also a Guide. He kept Becca from the Guides; wishing to not turn his daughter into a killer. She had NO idea about being a Fifth, Elementals or anything!
> 
> Hunter moved to town after his father and uncle were killed in a rockslide. He was there too, but obviously lived. They were Fifths and while Hunter thought the brothers were going on hunting or bonding trips, it turned out they were doing Guide stuff. He feels epically guilty on their death because they came back for him once he threw a fit that he should be old enough to go with them. Hunter knows about Elementals, knows he's a Fifth. But he had always assumed that he needed to prove himself before he was brought to training. In fact, his dad never wanted to make Hunter a Guide either. Hunter has his uncles K9, Casper.
> 
> Hunter came and lived with his Mom, who is pretty much useless after her husband’s death, and her parents, who pretty much can't tolerate Hunter. Stuff happens and Michael takes Hunter in. (Which is pretty awkward, because Chris and Hunter are kind of enemies :/ But Gabriel and Hunter hit it off pretty good and he’s kind of Gabriel’s best friend now. He shares a room with Nick.)(book3)
> 
> Becca ends up dating Chris. Gabriel dates a smart, quiet girl named Layne(book2). Nick dated Becca’s BFF Quinn but then she finds out he's gay(book4). She keeps his secret, even from his brothers, as he starts dating her dance partner. (I swear I just read this, I believe his name was Adam? oh I suck!)
> 
> So this story is a composition of all of the times Michael absolutely couldn't ignore his brothers’ antics and had to step up and be the adult, to the point of a discipline that their parents didn’t even use. (Though in the pre story, it seems like their dad would've probably been more hands-on if their mother wasn't such a calming force. I think it might be an Air thing, since Nick is the calm one of the Merrick boys.)
> 
> Michael also gets a girlfriend, Hannah, who has a son, James?, who is five. But since I have yet to read book #5, Sacrifice, which is Michael’s story, I'm reserving judgment on that and not including her.
> 
> Becca’s Mom isn't an Elemental. She is a nurse.
> 
> In Series: Michael22, Gabriel Nick17, Chris16, Hunter16  (In story, I'm starting from after their parents died and working up to their current ages) 
> 
> Okay!! Info dump aside!!!!
> 
> Story Time:

** -1- **

  
  
The first time Michael lost it, Gabriel had just burned his report card. Michael was supposed to sign it and have Gabriel return it. Michael couldn't go to the conferences so this alternative had been allowed.  
  
Nick’s report had been pretty much how Nick’s report card had been since kindergarten. Remarkable. There wasn't a single teacher that wouldn't gloat about him and there wasn't anything Mike could say about that. Nick was so much like their mother - smart, caring, calm. He'd signed it without a second thought.   
  
Chris had cringed at his report card, but it wasn't so bad. Their parents had died three months ago. The teachers understood his current slump. Chris sometimes stayed after, getting some help as he waited for Gabriel to finish whatever practice he was working on. He talked to his teachers and he talked with Nick. A few Cs weren't going to break the eleven year old. He'd ruffled his baby brother's hair and told him to get his history and math grades up but he wasn't mad. Signing the reports was weird, and it was Michael’s first time and he tried not to think about it.  
  
He waited all afternoon for Gabriel to hand his over. The hours passed and Michael was just barely getting through the mountain of paper work that came with learning the ins and outs of Dad's business when Nick came over to say goodnight.  
  
Michael was startled out of his thoughts. Nick was in his pajama pants and had already bathed and smelled of toothpaste. Michael checked the clock. Nine thirty. He sighed.   
  
"Night Michael," Nick said, giving him a hug.  
  
Nick had become a bit clingy after the funeral. Michael didn't really mind it. Chris had become a bit quiet and was almost always in the same room with Michael. It was kind of nice having them around. It didn't give him a chance to think, between the boys and the business and honestly, Michael preferred it that way.  
  
"Night Nick," he returned the squeeze. "Chris! bedtime," he called over to where the youngest boy was playing video games.  
  
"In a minute," Chris mumbled.  
  
"Upstairs in five," Michael said, standing from the kitchen table where he had the papers all spread out. "Where's Gabriel?"  
  
Nick shrugged. Michael rolled his eyes. The kid wasn't a very good liar. Neither twin was, but Gabriel was at least better at it.  
  
"Hiding then," he rolled his eyes.  
  
"Hiding from what?" Chris asked from the couch, not even really paying them attention.  
  
"Not hiding," Nick defended. "Avoiding?"  
  
Michael sighed. He started for the stairs.  
  
"Chris-  
  
"I'm coming, I'm coming!"  
  
Michael rarely checked their homework. That was their mom’s thing. He trusted his brothers to come to him if they had questions. But they never did. Chris probably asked Nick anyhow, who probably had a better grasp on that stuff anyway. But Gabriel. He'd gotten calls about that particular twin before. He didn't like the teachers of all people telling him how to raise his brothers, but in all honesty a part of him still kind of expected his mom to handle that stuff.  
  
Stupid right?  
  
Upstairs, Gabriel's room door was closed and music was blaring. He and Nick had always shared a room, but, well there was no point in that now. Michael had moved into their parent’s room and Nick, the cleaner of the two and as such easier to pack up and move, got Mike’s old room. It was slightly bigger but that was okay. Sometimes, and Michael knew better than to say anything, he knew the twins still sought each other in the night. Hell the only reason Michael probably didn't do the same was because he was usually so exhausted now that just seeing his bed he was already half asleep.  
  
"Gabriel," Michael sighed.  
  
"What are you gonna do?" Nick frowned beside him.  
  
Michael sighed. He had no idea. He had no idea about anything! He kind of wished the boys would get that, but they seemed to look at him with such trust and willingness to follow, he kind of hated to admit it.  
  
"Go to bed, Nick," he mumbled instead.  
  
Still frowning, Nick opened his mouth again.  
  
"Nicholas," he gave his most stern, dad impression look at the twelve year old. "Bed."  
  
Nick sighed. "Alright."  
  
Michael watched him turn and take slow steps to his room. He shook his head. Raising his hand, he knocked hard.  
  
"Gabriel, open the door."  
  
Michael crossed his arms.  
  
"You look like Dad when you do that."  
  
Michael turned to Chris' inquisitive look. He dropped his arms.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Chris shrugged. Michael wasn't certain if his looking like his father was a good or bad thing in the kid's eyes. Chris didn't seem inclined to either.  
  
"You should get your pjs," he said instead. "And brush-  
  
"I know, I know," Chris rolled his eyes, something he was definitely picking up from Gabriel. (Who probably got it from Michael himself, if he was being honest.)  
  
(Wasn't he supposed to wait until his own kids before that payback? Granted, all things considered…)  
  
"Watch your attitude," he'd said without much thought.  
  
Chris stopped to look back at him. It was so something their father would have responded. It was what Michael often heard when he decided to have an opinion that his parents (okay, his dad) didn't want to hear.  
  
"Just, get to bed," he sighed feeling, once again, inadequate.  
  
"Gabriel Merrick! Open this door, now!"  
  
It took a second, but he guessed there was something about his tone. He heard the tumbler disengage.  
  
Gabriel swung the door open, pissed look on his face. "What?!"  
  
Michael wasn't about to toss out another 'watch your attitude' remark. Not so soon.  
  
"What'd'ya mean what? You know what!"  
  
Gabriel groaned and rolled his eyes.  
  
"Go away, Michael," he muttered. He tried to push the door closed behind him, but Michael was able to easily hold it open with one hand. The kid was nowhere near as strong as him.  
  
"Gabriel, you're really stretching my patience here," Michael said from the doorway. Gabriel walked over to the unmade illusion of a bed that looked more like a dragon's nest.   
  
"Then leave," the twelve year old retorted. "No one called you!"  
  
Dad would've smacked the back of Michael's head if he had ever dared talk like that. Hard. Not even their mother would've been able to step in. He'd probably get a whole lecture about his disrespect. Dad would definitely say, "It's my house, boy!" or something like that.  
  
Gabriel would never talk to Dad like that. He'd never even really talked to Michael like this before.  
  
Michael chose to ignore him.  
  
"Where’s your report card?"  
  
Gabriel picked up a magazine from his mess on his bed and promptly ignored him. Brat.  
  
"Gabriel," Michael felt his teeth grind together. How did his parents resist the urge to kill them?  
  
And in all, Nick and Chris were pretty easy kids. The problem had usually been Michael and Gabriel. They were just too much like their father.  
  
"Brat! I'm talking to you!"  
  
Gabriel didn't even look up.  
  
Michael knew he wasn't even actually reading the damn thing. The boy’s shoulders were tense and he hadn't turned the page he'd opened at random. Gabriel was testing him, had been for the past month. But what was Michael supposed to do? If he gave into the urge of strangling the kid, he would probably lose custody of all three. It wasn't brotherly fighting anymore. No parents would step in to stop him. And besides, Michael was eighteen now. He was almost out of high school himself. He couldn't honestly defend his own childish actions.  
  
What the hell did Gabriel expect from him?!  
  
"Fine, you want to be an ass? Great." Michael stepped into the room, which he usually avoided since saying the room was a mess was being nice. Michael didn't even know how they had fit two kids in there.   
  
Gabriel's backpack was sticking out of his closet, atop of his baseball gym bag.  
  
Michael grabbed the bag and opened it.  
  
"Hey! Get out of that!" Gabriel snapped. He was quickly at Michael’s side, trying to tug the bag out of his brother’s hands. No such luck.  
  
"Go back to the bed," Michael shoved him aside. In the backpack, he saw a whole bunch of crumpled papers. The graded ones didn't go to anything above a C. He could see doodles on a few of the tests, notebook pages ripped out with hangman and tic tac toe. Michael could feel himself getting madder.  
  
"Damn it Michael! Mind your own business!"  
  
Michael let him get the backpack, once he could tell that the report card wasn't inside. Gabriel stumbled back slightly from the loss of resistance.  
  
"This is my business!" he gritted back. Idiot kid. "You realize I already got Nick and Chris'? I know you got your report card today. I shouldn't have to hunt you down!"  
  
"No one asked you to!"  
  
"Bullshit!" came Michael’s mature reply. "You know I'm in charge now, Gabriel! You know exactly why they sent that home! Why do you have to make this shit harder than it is!"  
  
"No one’s signing  _your_  damn card!" Gabriel spat back. "Why should I?"  
  
"I'm not twelve!" Michael told him. Not to mention, he would give anything, anything,  _anything_  to have either of his parents back. To have someone to support him and care for him and his brothers. To tell him what the hell half of those business papers even meant! Thank God their parents had insurance, otherwise they would be dead broke right now. And if it depended on Michael to run the business now, they were screwed!  
  
"So!?"  
  
"So you need someone checking on you, they need to know someone is checking on you, and by some crap luck that's me! Get over it already, Gabriel!"  
  
Gabriel scoffed. "Right, Mom and Dad are dead and now you're in charge. Yippee."  
  
"That's not what I said!" Michael turned away from him and took a deep, deep breath. "Give me your report card, I'm done discussing shit with you."  
  
"go fuck yourself," Gabriel muttered turning back to his bed.   
  
"GABRIEL!" It wasn't the first he'd heard his sibling curse, but even before their parents died Michael wouldn't have let that slide.  
  
Gabriel took two long strides over to his bed and yanked an envelope from under his pillow. Figured. Of course, in true Gabriel fashion, he also pulled out a lighter from his pocket.  
  
"You want the damn report card!"  
  
"Gabriel, don't you da-  
  
But Gabriel dared. He flicked the lighter open and held the flame under the paper. Instantly the corner was afire. Michael moved towards him, himself fuming; and in that half instant, Gabriel brought up a blaze large enough to consume the whole envelope and part of Gabriel's hand.  
  
Shocked. Both Merricks were shocked.  
  
Gabriel dropped his lighter, which instantly shut off before it landed in his discarded jeans on the floor. His eyes wide in shock and fright. Michael looked at the slowly falling ashes and embers.  
  
"Are you fucking serious?" his voice deadly cold even to his own ears.  
  
Gabriel look absolutely petrified. He didn’t have the slightest control on his powers and hadn’t even used them since-  
  
Michael moved so fast he didn't even think.  
  
"Michael don't!" Gabriel squeaked trying to turn and run but he had nowhere to run to. Besides, Michael would definitely catch him. Gabriel might be the best athlete, but this was the first year Michael wasn't on the baseball team himself. And the only reason Michael didn't take up track in high school was because the summer training would've taken him away from helping Dad with the business.   
  
He grabbed Gabriel around the waist and easily picked him up. Gabriel thrashed about in his arm, but Michael ignored him. He used his free hand to shove aside some crap from the bed and sat down.  
  
"Michael stop! I'm sorry, okay?!"  
  
But it was not okay. Damn brat normally took each and every opportunity to point out he wasn't their dad or couldn't do things like mom, but cursing Michael out, kept picking on Chris relentlessly, and now this?  
  
What the fuck!?  
  
Michael had him over his left knee without a second thought. He hadn't ever been spanked himself, but he remembered being swatted occasionally, back when the other kids were still in diapers. Mom, once when he'd ran off during a trip to the mall to get pictures of the twins. Dad a few other times. Never anything more than one smack to his butt.  
  
Gabriel wouldn't be so lucky.   
  
Michael couldn't say what made him do it, but once he started he wasn't about to stop. He grabbed the top of Gabriel's sweats and yanked them down, but he left the dark blue briefs in place.  
  
"Michael! MICHAEL!"  
  
He raised his hand and brought it down with a pretty sharp crack.  
  
"OWW!"  
  
Michael was powered by anger. He cringed himself at the sharpness he felt in his hand. That had surely been too hard. He wasn't trying to split the kid in two.  
  
He wasn't sure what he was trying to do, but that sure as hell wasn't it.  
  
Michael raised his hand again and brought it back down, less hard but still sting inducing.  
  
For his part, Gabriel squirmed and kicked and yelped. He could not believe this. Michael couldn't be spanking him! Their parents didn't believe in spanking! That shit really hurt!  
  
"Michael! Stop!"  
  
"You have some nerve, you brat!" the eldest Merrick lectured. "You know better than to talk like that and you sure as hell know not to set things on fire! What the hell were you thinking?!"  
  
Gabriel's cries of pain were being strained with tears. He could hear his little brother losing his ability to speak.  
  
Michael brought his hand down three more times. He had no idea how many times he had brought his hand down but if the redness to his own palm was any indication, Gabriel's butt cheeks should be a shiny Rudolph red.  
  
He dropped his hand, motionless now against Gabriel's back. His little brother had buried his face into his arms on his bed. Michael was glad their neighbors weren't very close. They had a large lot space on a cul-de-sac. Big enough to play soccer or football with his brothers but not quite big enough for his mother to let him hit the baseball about. Not once he'd come into his powers and being outside had made Michael unstoppable.  
  
Still, a part of Michael wondered what he would say if someone was called because Gabriel had been wailing. Saying he'd spanked him would be the truth, but he didn't want to embarrass his brother outside the family. And he could see himself being epically blushing from the explanation as well.   
  
Gabriel hiccup back some sobs. He had probably just noticed that Michael as no longer womping on his ass. He made to stand, but Michael planted his hand firmly in the kid's back. Gabriel's shoulders tensed but he stayed in place.  
  
"I don't want to hear you talk like that to me again, got me?"  
  
Gabriel looked over his shoulder. His eyes were still raining tears and blotchy red. He nodded.  
  
"I know I'm not your parent, Gabriel, but I'm the closest you're gonna get. You're a kid, but I'll let you in on something, growing up isn't so great. I don't need you giving me crap for everything. I just need you to do the kid things, and leave the brat things aside, okay?"  
  
Gabriel nodded.   
  
Michael sighed. He felt his own shoulders slump. He was so tired. He hadn't even done his own school work. He would have to get the boys in bed and go down to do his own crap. And the bills were due at the end of the week. He hadn't done the checks right the first month. Hadn't known to have his parents accounts transferred to his name. Everything was such a mess, but even the mountain of papers was easier than having to face the fact that he was now responsible for everything about his three brothers. Everything. Good and bad. Illnesses. Transportation. Freaking hygiene even!  
  
He pulled Gabriel to his feet. Gabriel was biting his lip, his breath still hitching. Michael felt miserable looking at him. Gabriel's lip trembled like he was going to cry again and Michael didn't know if he could take it.  
  
"Gabriel," he started, unsure now like always what to say.  _Sorry for spanking you?_  He wasn't. The kid had it coming, even if it was probably the single strangest thing he had ever done. Had their parents been alive and he'd smacked his brother, he would've been grounded for sure. Mom would cradle Gabriel in her arms until he stopped crying and Michael would've been sent to his room, where Dad would've gladly read him the riot act.  
  
He tugged Gabriel to him, his arms wrapping tightly around the kid. Surprisingly enough, Gabriel returned the gesture.  
  
He felt he should say something, but he couldn’t think what. Gabriel seemed content enough to just cry into Michael's shoulder.  
  
Michael looked up, and was kind of mortified to see Nick and Chris standing, wide eyed, at the opened door. He sighed. His arms tightened against Gabriel. He had forgotten the other two boys. Still, he couldn't apologize. He had to stand by his own judgment and not theirs. He looked at them and nudged his head for them to leave. Nick snapped out of it, grabbed Chris by the hand and bolted.  
  
He was going to have to talk to them about this too. Just great.  
  
Against him, Gabriel was regaining his composure. Michael reached down and pulled up his sweats before Gabriel had time to give his position much thought. He groaned as the pants passed his throbbing bum, wiping at his eyes and took a step back. He looked at Michael.  
  
"I can't believe you spanked me," the twelve year old muttered.  
  
"I can't believe you set your report card on fire," countered Michael.  
  
Gabriel frowned. "I didn't really mean to. I just wanted-  
  
"To piss me off?"  
  
Gabriel looked down and shrugged.  
  
Michael took a deep breath.  
  
"I can't believe I spanked you either, but I'm not apologizing. You understand?"  
  
"I drove you to it," Gabriel said to his socks.  
  
"You try my patience a lot," Michael told him. "No matter how many times I warn you. Even before-  
  
Gabriel glanced up. "It's okay. I understand."  
  
Michael was going to need an oxygen tank with how often he sighed.   
  
"What was so bad on it, anyway?"  
  
Gabriel looked back down. His shoulders tensed and he started shifting around.  
  
"Gabriel Merrick," Michael didn't even need to raise his voice. Probably a first in a while when he was dealing with Gabriel. But it seemed unnecessary, after beating the boy’s backside for the first time in his life.  
  
"You're already mad at me," Gabriel muttered.  
  
But while Michael could say he was mad to begin with, and Gabriel probably deserved for him to be mad, he couldn't exactly call what he was feeling now mad. Tired. Drained. A heck older than his recent eighteen. But not mad.  
  
"I’m not mad," Michael told him. "But I don't want to have to ask you again. You realize I'm going to have to go to the school tomorrow and tell them you destroyed your report card? I'm going to have to be late for my own classes too. So, if I was you, I would just tell me already so we can end this and you can get to bed."  
  
"You sound kinda mad," Gabriel raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
Michael returned the gesture. Gabriel sighed.  
  
"I failed math," he looked at somewhere over Michael’s shoulder. "And History."  
  
Michael groaned.  
  
"And English."  
  
"Damn Gabriel," he shook his head. "You realize you just make things worse by not telling me this shit? I mean, you realize eventually I would have found out about it even if you managed to keep the card away from me?"  
  
"I panicked, okay?" he rubbed at his eyes again. "I thought you'd be mad!"  
  
"For the record, not as mad as setting it on fire," Michael met his gaze.  
  
Gabriel cringed and reached back, covering his injured butt with his hands.  
  
"I'm not gonna spank you over this, Gabriel," he rolled his eyes.  
  
"So grades don't merit spankings, good to know," the wiseass replied.  
  
Michael leveled him with a stern look. Michael was getting better at them.  
  
"Not tonight," he said.  
  
Gabriel frowned. He'd been joking.  
  
"Wait, you wouldn't do that again-  
  
"I wouldn't want to," Michael corrected. " _Didn't_  want to. But I think I would."  
  
Gabriel's eyes widened. "Michael, you can't!"  
  
"I think I very well can. And furthermore,  _you_  need to stop telling  _me_  what to do."  
  
Gabriel's lip trembled. "I don't want more spankings. " he said honestly.  
  
Michael chose to remain silent. A few tears betrayed Gabriel and the boy reached up to wipe them away. Michael pulled him again to a hug, though Gabriel tensed for a moment.  
  
"Gabriel, I swear I love you, but you're such a little pain sometimes. I promise I don't plan on making this a habit, but you lost control there buddy, and that's not okay." He held him for a few minutes Gabriel leaning into his hold though not hugging him back. Michael turned and kissed his forehead, probably something he hadn't done to Gabriel since the kid was maybe five or six.  
  
"Go get ready for bed. We'll deal with the report card tomorrow. I'll drive you guys to school."  
  
Gabriel nodded and he released his hold on the kid, getting to his feet. He mussed up Gabriel's hair and headed for the door.  
  
  
The next morning, Gabriel kept squirming through breakfast. Nick kept glancing at his twin. Chris kept glancing at Michael. Michael was too busy trying to finish up his own history answers into his journal to notice them. His breakfast cereal untouched beside him where Nick had been kind enough to place it.   
  
"Stop staring at me, Nicky! Damn!"  
  
"Language," Michael said without looking up. He said it about a dozen times a day, but this time it froze all three boys. Michael glanced up. "What?"  
  
Chris glanced over at the twins and scratched the back of his head. He wasn't about to speak first. Gabriel blushed and returned to his cereal. Nick sighed and glanced back at Michael.  
  
"You spanked Gabriel."  
  
Michael frowned. "I’m aware."  
  
"Mom and Dad never," Chris started.  
  
"I'm not Mom or Dad," interrupted Michael. "As you've all pointed out before."  
  
"But." Chris cringed. "They'd be mad."  
  
Michael sighed. "Probably. Yeah. They would be mad for me hitting my little brother. I'm mad when they gang up on you. But I think they would've been more pissed at Gabriel setting his report card on fire and his attitude and cursing."  
  
Nick reached over and smacked Gabriel on the head. "You set it on fire!!" his twin was not pleased. "I told you to just show him!"  
  
"Leave me alone, Nicky!" Gabriel glared rubbing at his head. "I got beat enough!"  
  
"You didn't get beat," Michael retorted. "You got spanked."  
  
Gabriel blushed his eyes back to his nearly empty bowl. "Same difference," he muttered.  
  
"No, a beating is what Tyler and his idiots did to you! You lost control last night, and I lost my patience. But I would never, ever beat you guys!"  
  
"But you  _would_  spank us?" Chris blushed now.  
  
"Clearly," one of the twins said as Michael moved to put his school work away. He would finish during lunch or sit out during gym. For now, if he skipped breakfast he could very well starve for the rest of the day.  
  
He didn't reply, he just ate. His brothers took that as answer enough.  
  
Gabriel returned to his cereal. Nick pushed his around with his spoon and a wide look. Chris groaned.   
  
Michael wasn't going to defend himself. He was going to try and trust his instincts when it came to his brothers. Even if it had kept him up half the night. Even if he had gotten up to check on the boys three separate times. Even if seeing Gabriel sleep on his stomach and squirming when he did turn onto his back and his hurt bum caused Michael's heart to strain.  
  
He might not know what he was doing, but like hell would he let them know that.

 

* * *

 


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another brother, testing Michael's patience. This time Chris bucks at the few rules the eldest has placed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Same Disclaimer. Enjoy reading!! <3

-2-

  
  
It hadn't taken him a long time for Michael to assign them chores. He had no clue how his mother kept the whole place tidy mostly by herself. Sure, she'd make them put their clothes in their hampers and take out the trash, but their mother had stayed at home. She did the papers for the business and cooked for them and did the washing and checked the homework and went to their games and was still smiling when they came home. Dad kept up the business and kept track of the bills and budgeted and took them to practices when he could and took then to the backyard to show them to toss a football or attempted to teach Gabriel soccer, though he himself had never played.  
  
Michael was reminded every day how inferior he was to his parents. How he was letting them down not being able to fill their shoes with their sons. The boys didn't say it as often but they didn't have to. At the end of the day, when it was mostly quiet and he had managed to get them each to their own rooms if maybe not quite in bed, he had enough time to tell himself.  
  
He could look around at their never-ending mess, the pile of dishes from breakfast beneath those from dinner. The pile of mail and business papers. A notice from school or from social services that they were following up on one thing or another. His own school work. The boys’ backpacks and their hopefully completed schoolwork. Failure.  
  
He wanted a beer. He wasn't even twenty yet, but he was kind of looking forward to the buzz feeling that one or two beers provided.  
  
Michael had found a small fridge hidden in the garage filled with beer. He had never thought his father drank, wondered even if his mother knew about the secret stash, or if it was just a way to keep it away from the boys. Still; it had opened Michael's eyes to his father. The secrets the two must have kept. It made him miss them more. Miss the people they had been, the people he probably wasn't supposed to meet until he himself had stopped being a kid. College bound. Maybe married. They would have entertained him with their whimsical tales of his youth, of their youth, of the changing times. Who knows. He would never know them as people, just parents, and they had been so much more. They had to have been.   
  
It was understood that if the boys didn't complete their chores, they would be grounded for the weekend. It was torture for everyone when Gabriel was grounded, but the other two boys usually kept to their chores just fine.  
  
Michael couldn't ground himself. Though, honestly, as far as chores went, he probably was the one who forgot to do them the most. Each one of his brothers had pointed it out to him, but with the threat of adding to their own load, they usually didn't say much more.  
  
He'd like to see  _them_  raise three kids and finish high school. As it was, he'd managed a pretty decent GPA, but even if he could still have gotten the baseball scholarship, Michael couldn't go to college. He should've just dropped out, but the routine of school had kept him semi sane (as  _insane_  as that sounded). And it wouldn't be a good example for the boys.  
  
Now, over the summer, Michael was finding time to start up Dad's business again. They had contracts for the summers. Grass feedings, mowings, reflowering the unkempt flowers from the richer homes. It was the kind of thing that Michael had helped his dad with before. Last summer, he had even been allowed to do a few himself. Before Emily died.  
  
This summer, he needed both the distraction and the money. He trusted (ha!) his brothers to be home alone without killing each other (mainly Chris) and to do their chores. That was it. They weren't really all that helpful on most jobs, but he did bring them to a few. Usually following a new bruise on Chris or a broken anything. Or burnt as was sometimes the case. Burnt however meant that Gabriel would get his backside spanked, and the kid tried to avoid that. Still, Michael proved time and again (and again with that kid!) that he meant what he'd said. He didn't like doing it, but they had to learn control. The _others_ already thought that Michael had killed Emily, had attacked Tyler. No one bothered or would bother to learn the truth from them.  
  
The boys needed to learn control.  
  
The first week of August, and Chris wasn't doing his chores. He was fed up with the twins and angry with Michael for not taking him along on trips. Forget that it wasn't even fun what he was doing. The twelve year old was just finding ways to be a brat.  
  
On the second day that Michael came home to dirty dishes and he knew he had another grounding in his hands. Gabriel always tried to talk him out of it, and it never worked. The only time he had had to ground Chris had been near the end of the school year when he had refused to turn in his book report. Chris had done it, Michael had seen him do it and Nick had even helped him revise it. But for some reason the kid didn't want to turn it in. So Michael got a call, and Chris got grounded.  
  
Michael wasn't looking forward to that again. Grounded Chris was like a Scrooge. He stomped around and he glared at his brothers and he kept asking to do things that made Michael have to remind him that no he couldn't go to the movies with the twins, he was grounded. Which started the cycle all over again. It was a dreadful two weeks.  
  
"Christopher!" he called out. He could feel the boy upstairs. The twins were running around outside in the woods. He'd seen them as he pulled in. Nick had even stopped running and waved. Of course, that's when Gabriel had tackled him.  
  
No response.  
  
"Christopher! Come down here!"  
  
It was just after seven and starting to get dark. Michael loved the longer daylight of the summer and usually the boys did too. It meant they were out more and wrecking some havoc outside instead of inside.  
  
Still nothing.  
  
"Christopher Merrick! Now!" He felt the anger start up. If he'd been outside, he likely would've caused a slight crack on the ground. He was getting better at stopping those, and even better still at fixing them up.  
  
He was pulling off his dirty shirt, tossed (for now) on top of his discarded boots and work bag by the front door. He needed a shower and to start dinner. There were some frozen pizzas in the freezer that he could start up and call the twins in as he showered. They'd make certain it wouldn't burn; Nick because he was nice like that and Gabriel because he wouldn't want to eat burnt pizza.  
  
"Christopher!!" he calls again, giving himself a headache.  
  
He heard a door slamming from upstairs.  
  
Michael closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He counted to five. He could hear Chris' footsteps unnecessarily heavy on the steps.  
  
"What?!"  
  
Michael opened his eyes. Chris was standing on the last step of the stairs. Frowning. Arms crossed.  
  
"Here," Michael pointed in front of him. "Now."  
  
Chris rolled his eyes. He groaned and took the final step down. Stomped his way over.  
  
"You need to learn to walk again?" Michael glared at him.  
  
"Haha," he rolled his eyes again.  
  
Michael poked him in the chest.  
  
"Watch it with the attitude, pal."  
  
Chris, unlike Gabriel (thankfully) seemed to take to the warning.  
  
"Dishes," Michael pointed towards the kitchen. "Again."  
  
"I did mine," he shrugged.  
  
Michael sighed. "You're supposed to do them all!"  
  
"Why?" Chris frowned. "Nick and Gabriel can do their own dishes."  
  
"Nick does the laundry, Gabriel takes out the trash and mows the lawn. All you have to do are the dishes."  
  
"And vacuum," Chris grit out.  
  
"Like once a month," the older boy scoffed. "Would you rather the bathrooms? Gabriel probably wouldn't mind the trade." He'd given them monthly chores too since they had to keep things clean for the social worker's visit but it wasn't too bad. Nick just did the laundry since that was all month long. Michael had tried and had almost burned the dryer because he hadn't known to clean out the lint. Gabriel had almost destroyed their clothes with the wrong detergent or too much that left their clothes itchy and needing a rewash. Nicky was the only logical option, Chris lucking out since he was the youngest and didn't quite reach everything yet.  
  
"It's stupid," Chris replied. "I'm not doing them anymore." And he turned to leave, like that would be the end of it.  
  
Michael reached out, grabbing his arm and pulling him back.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Your job is to do the dishes. All of them. I warned you yesterday. Now, you’re grounded for Friday."  
  
Chris' eyes widened. Fridays were the only day Michael had to take them out anywhere. He made certain to schedule himself Fridays free. During the week he got Gabriel and Nick into an open gym that made Gabriel happy and Nick slightly tolerant. Chris would either go with them, with Michael, or stay home. He been staying home this week. Michael would drop the twins off half an hour early and they would usually be okay until the place opened. They'd stay there, have lunch, and got a bus ride back home around 1. (Nick usually got some food for Chris on the days he stayed home.) Michael would call them sometimes to make sure they were okay and he'd be home sometime between 2pm and 7pm. Tonight had been one of the later days.  
  
He had planned on taking the boys to an arcade that had just opened a few towns over. It would've been a whole day affair. Now, he would still take the twins, but he would have to be back early because he didn't like leaving Chris alone too long.  
  
"That's bull!" Chris replied.  
  
"You know the rule." Michael released him.  
  
"Bullshit rule," he gripped.  
  
Michael's eyes widened at that. Chris rarely, if ever, cursed. Maybe he was spending too much time with the twins or alone. He was certainly getting into his teenage angst a bit early.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"It's a stupid rule and you know it!" Chris spat back. "You just made it up! Mom never gave us chores and she never would've grounded us for them and it's stupid!"  
  
At least he was smart enough not to curse again, but with the venom he was putting behind 'stupid' it might as well have been.  
  
"Of course I made it up," Michael shrugged. "That's what I do now. I make the rules. Not all of them are going to be Mom and Dad's. That doesn't mean you get to ignore them. I don't care how  _stupid_  you think they are!"  
  
Chris glared at him. He had no idea what the boy was thinking, but it don't look like it favored him any.   
  
He was kind of getting used to that from Gabriel, but he found it still stung from Chris.  
  
And then Chris kicked him.  
  
Honestly, it didn't hurt. Chris might've hurt his toes against Michael's shins but Michael was fine. Except he was fuming. Not even Gabriel had tried to take a hit at him.  
  
Michael grabbed Chris's arm again, this time tugging him closer and turning him enough to smack his butt hard three times. He hadn't yet spanked anyone but Gabriel, and he wasn't looking to either. Actually, if Gabriel could control his anger and tongue he probably wouldn't even have to do it at all!  
  
Of course,  _now_  he was swatting Chris!  
  
Michael had always defended Chris. Being born after the twins couldn't have been easy. They bothered him and picked on him just as much as they would play with him and help him out. Michael had had privileges that enabled him to get away from the trio through the years - when he'd gotten a license it had been heaven sent. But even then he knew he had to be a good big brother and he would take the twins out and let Chris have alone time with his parents. Or take Chris out to give themselves alone time. Chris was a great little kid. Up until last week at least.  
  
He released Chris's arm and the boy took two steps back. His eyes were teary and he reached back with one hand against his bum.  
  
"Huh, I thought I was the only one who could rile up Michael."  
  
They both turned to see Gabriel and Nick standing at the back door. He hadn't heard them come in and he had no idea how long they'd been there.  
  
Chris made to turn and run. Michael reached over and grabbed his arm again before he could.   
  
"Get off!" Chris yelled, smacking at his hand like it would release his grip.  
  
"Come on," Nick grabbed his twin and they made their way to the stairs. Gabriel tossed Chris a sympathetic look.   
  
"Wonder what he did," Michael heard Gabriel as they went up the stairs.  
  
"He kicked Michael!" Nick replied like it was obvious. Clearly they'd seen enough.  
  
Chris was still trying to twist out of his grasp. Michael had no intention of smacking Chris any more than he already had. Sure, the kid was twelve but he was still the baby. It was hard for Michael not to think of him like that. He wanted to protect him, even from Michael’s own discipline. Why couldn't the brat understand that?  
  
"Stop it," he shook Chris's arm, though it caused a bit of a whole body shake.  
  
 _Breath,_  he told himself.  _Calm down. He's just a little kid._  
  
"Lemme go!" Chris stopped twisting but he was still trying to pry Michael’s fingers off.  
  
"Stop it, Christopher."  
  
"I'm telling Mom!"  
  
It had happened a few times before. Gabriel had hissed that he'd tell Dad the second time Michael made a move to spank him. Chris had screamed out for their mother when Gabriel was chasing him. Nick still cried for them at night.  
  
But the stillness and utter devastation on Chris face now almost brought Michael to tears. If Chris hadn't started bawling first.  
  
Michael gathered him in his arms, easily carrying him. Chris began to trash about but Michael still held him against his chest.  
  
This time he did apologize.  
  
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he muttered against Chris's neck. Chris finally slumped and cried against him. Michael held him for almost ten minutes, wiping his own silent tears. Working landscaping had always been quite the workout. Dad used to joke that it was their own little personal gym and he wasn't kidding. Now, working it all alone, he could see his arms and chest developing quite the build. Even his legs and hips were more defined. He remembered his mom commenting back when he as almost seventeen, about how much like a man he looked. He blushed then and he blushed every time he remembered.  
  
He could hold this kid forever.   
  
But Chris pulled away. He straightened up and wiped his snotty nose on his long sleeve. Michael cringed. He walked them over to the napkins and grabbed one, sitting Chris on the counter.  
  
Chris hissed and squirmed. He made to jump off.  
  
"Stay," Michael gave him a look, he'd mastered that in the last year. Chris squirmed on his tingling bottom but he stayed. Michael handed him the napkin.  
  
"What's going on, Chris?" he crossed his arms. He probably looked more like Dad now than ever.  His hair was slightly lighter from the sun. He had an overall tan and his arms were crazy built.  
  
But Chris didn't comment.  
  
"Christopher," he sighed.  
  
"Don't wanna talk about it," Chris wiped at his nose.  
  
"You haven't done your one chore and you've been giving me attitude all week. I deserve an explanation."  
  
Chris still had enough spunk to glare at him. Michael glared back. With Chris sitting up there, they were eye to eye. But Michael won this stare down. (Chris had nothing on Gabriel. That kid made Michael glad the teen couldn't start his own fires or Michael might be sporting a few second and third degree burns.)  
  
"Did you like your spanking, Christopher?" he asked instead.  
  
Chris looked at him like he was actually insane.  
  
"Wh what? No!"  
  
"Then why do you keep testing me?"  
  
"I'm not!" he muttered tears still gripping at his throat.  
  
"I asked you a question."  
  
Chris bit his lip. Another trait he probably got from Gabriel. Granted, it could be all Chris; but Chris would always be compared to one of his brothers. He was the youngest. It was his burden as theirs was to set the better examples.  
  
"Don't wanna talk about it," he repeated rubbing at his eyes and looking so much younger and smaller and tired.  
  
"I think you threw that option out the window when you decided it would be a good idea to kick me!"  
  
Chris look down and squirmed. "Sorry."  
  
Michael sighed. "If I have to ask you again, you're going to be grounded all weekend."  
  
Chris looked up at him with hurt in his eyes. It was Michael’s job to be tough. To discipline and guide and provide for. It was a hell of a lot and he felt he was lacking in things all of the time, but he tried to be consistent. It gave him less time to second guess himself.  
  
"That's not fair!"  
  
"Christopher," he narrowed his eyes. "You're bringing this all down on yourself. Do you think I came home today intent on hashing things out with you?"  
  
"I'm sorry," the boy muttered again.  
  
"Answer the question," Michael stressed.  
  
Chris lip trembled and he started tearing up again.  
  
"I don't know!"  
  
"Don't know what?"  
  
"I Don't Know!" Chris repeated harder. "Just leave me alone. Please Michael. I just didn't feel like it. It's stupid!"  
  
His breath was hitching and he was about to full out cry again. Michael placed his hands on Chris's neck.  
  
"Easy," he said softly.  
  
"Don't wanna talk," Chris repeated.  
  
Michael sighed. Every day a battle.  
  
"I'm gonna shower," he said taking Chris up and off of the counter. "I'm putting the pizza in the oven and I'll tell the twins to check it. I expect the dishes done before I come down, understood?"  
  
Chris pouted but nodded.  
  
"And I expect you to not forget again. Clear?"  
  
"Yes, Michael."  
  
He crouched down to glare into the kid's eyes.  
  
"And you damn well better never kick me again."  
  
Chris's eyes went wide at that but he nodded slowly.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Never again."  
  
Chris nodded.  
  
Michael nodded back. He straightened back up and ruffled his hair shoving him out of the way with a sharp smack to the butt that should tell him exactly what Michael intended to do if he was ever so stupid. Chris jumped a few feet away as Michael went to the freezer for the pizza.


	3. Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris. Again. (And a little Gabriel.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Just one more after this one. Enjoy!!
> 
> Hugs, Ann

-3-

  
  
If only Chris had managed to keep his wide eyed promise. Well, as the week continued, he did his chores and he didn't say anything when the twins teased him and he gave Michael a wide berth but still answered when he was spoken to. All in all, Michael figured that he could wait for the kid to calm down and let him get used to the idea that he'd gotten his butt smacked. It had taken Gabriel maybe a whole month before he felt at ease enough to start his crap up again after the first time. He had managed to get his English grade back up and history took a bit of work, but Michael was trying to find the time to help him. Nick was helping him with Math and it seemed to be helping. He made Gabriel do his school work as soon as he got home now.   
  
Thankfully, summertime meant no homework. He dragged the boys to the library once a month just to make sure they didn't get stupid,(as Dad would put it) or as mom would say stayed cultured.  
  
It was Friday and it was raining. Nick and Gabriel we're getting ready and Michael was making them all lunch. Chris was grounded, so his lunch would be staying in the fridge.  
  
Michael was taking the twins to an arcade that had opened at the beginning of the summer. One of their contract clients was the owner and had given Michael a whole bunch of free tokens. He tried to do something fun with the boys on Fridays, but this week Chris hadn't done his chores twice. So he was grounded and was miserably looking out the window.  
  
Currently, he was standing with his head out the back door.  
  
"Christopher," Michael groaned as a chill came in from the doorway; signaling that baby brother had once again opened the door even though he had been told three separate times (four if Chris counted when Gabriel had groaned about it.)  
  
"No, leave it," Nick said grinning.  
  
Michael put down his spoon enough to glare at the incoming twin.  
  
"Never mind."  
  
"Good answer."  
  
Michael returned to the turkey sandwiches he was making. He remembered how his mom made them, and even though they didn't have tomatoes it was still probably the best meal he'd made all week!  
  
As in the only meal that wasn't prepackaged for them.  
  
He felt the breeze on the back of his neck even before he heard Nick’s soft hiss at his younger brother.  
  
Michael turned around. It hadn't rained in two and a half weeks and he knew it had to be calling out to his youngest brother. But if this wasn't a lesson in control he didn't know what was. Besides, if the kid wasn't grounded he probably would've given him a raincoat and rain-boots and let him run around outside until it was time to go.   
  
But he was grounded.   
  
"Christopher!" he snapped. The back door slammed shut even though Chris refused to look his way. Nick glanced from one to the other, already seated and having his breakfast. (Toast mostly. Michael wasn't very creative.)  
  
"Sit your ass down!"  
  
Chris blushed up to his ears and moved to take a seat at the table. He took a piece of toast when Nick slid the plate over.  
  
"Don't touch the door again!"  
  
Gabriel came down just as Michael packed their lunches away. He had chips and drinks and cookies and apples and a few bananas and the sandwiches. It should be enough for their day trip. The arcade was an hour away and he hated leaving Chris, but he wasn't about to punish the twins when they had actually been pretty well behaved the last two weeks (conveniently the same amount of time since he'd mentioned taking them out). The week before he'd taken the grumpy trio to the library and a movie after. (Less grumpy then, except for having to share the snacks. Teenage boys and one almost teenaged boy didn't do well when it came to sharing food. Michael had gotten them a jumbo popcorn, sat Nick in the middle with it, and gotten a small for himself. He'd gotten two jumbo sodas and shared his with Chris and they'd brought a few pocket sized Twix and Snickers bars and each kid had had a few in their pockets. It had been a pretty neat evening all in all.)  
  
Chris had been begging to go all week long. He'd been grounded on Tuesday and he had been doing good all week, but that just meant he wasn't grounded Saturday. Michael had to stick to the few tools he had in his limited parental armory.  
  
Now, with the new rain, the twelve year old was just itching to get outside. But he was grounded. Which meant no leaving the house. No video games. And he'd be the first to take a bath and sent to bed. It didn't seem like a lot, and it wasn't like Michael looked for things to take from them, but it worked. No outside the house usually meant no exposure to their element. Chris of course could shower and feel better and air was everywhere for Nick but it especially pissed Gabriel. He'd let the kid help cook last time he'd been grounded, which had initially pissed Gabriel more, but then he'd pretty much let him play with the stove for ten minutes and the kid calmed. Not orthodox maybe but he was eighteen himself, Michael didn't expect to have all the answers.  
  
They were tugging on their coats when Michael turned to a pouting Chris.  
  
"Do not leave the house, Christopher," he instructed.  
  
Chris rolled his eyes. "I know."  
  
"And don't play with fire. Without me," Gabriel added with a wink. Nick smacked his twin in the head.  
  
"I’m serious, Chris," Michael continued. "You're grounded. Not one foot out of this house."  
  
"He's not deaf," Gabriel rolled his eyes.  
  
"Will you shut up!?" Nick gave Gabriel his own look.  
  
"I get it," Chris crossed his arms.  
  
"If you do, I'm warning you now, you'll earn that spanking."  
  
"Duuude," Gabriel cringed. He always cringed now at the dreaded S-word.  
  
"He'll stay inside," Nick added quickly. "Right Chris?"  
  
"I said I got it!" Chris snapped.  
  
"Hey!" Michael frowned.   
  
"Will  _you_  shut up," Gabriel grit back over to his little brother this time. Along with a look that said he thought Chris stupid and might just smack him himself. He couldn't stop himself from going off at the mouth, but Chris should know better.  
  
"You two head to the car," Michael instructed, handing Gabriel the keys.  
  
"Sweet!" Gabriel grinned. "Hey Nicky, let's go somewhere exotic, like Ohio!"  
  
Nick rolled his eyes.  
  
"Gabriel," but Michael knew the kid was just joking. Still, one day he would have a license. There would be no joyriding to Ohio thanksforasking.  
  
With the twins racing over to the truck, Michael turned his attention on Chris.  
  
"I'm very serious about this, Christopher. Don't test me, please." He tried to be calm and genuine and all of that.  
  
Chris didn't see it like that.  
  
"How many times do I have to say  _yes_?"  
  
But Michael was  _learning_ to get patience. He was not naturally born with one. Or a high tolerance for bullshit.  
  
He reached over and turned Chris enough to reach his backside with two sharp smacks. He had felt things heading here all day, but he had hoped against it.  
  
"Yeow!" Chris glared at him as soon as he was released.  
  
"Cap that attitude right now! I'm sorry you can't come with us, but you chose not to do your chores and you knew that would get you grounded. I'm sorry you get to miss out on this storm, I get it, but that doesn't mean you get to toss your bad attitude around. I have no problem delaying this trip if you need a reminder on how to behave!"  
  
Chris looked down. He wasn't one for fights. Michael knew something was up, and he'd tried to get the boy to talk but nothing. He wondered if someone was bothering him but the twins would've known. They would've told Michael. He would've found a way to deal with that. Blatant rudeness? Unnecessary and unacceptable.  
  
He also knew what Michael meant by a  _reminder_. He'd heard him tell Gabriel that enough times, especially if they were out and Gabriel was being a dick.  _Do you need a reminder to behave?_  Usually Gabriel would blush and apologize. Or blush and shake his head. The one time they'd been getting him some new jeans (he'd burnt two pairs playing with the lighter in his pocket and had had to tell Michael, who had smacked his butt but hadn't actually spanked him) he had warned him, and neither brother liked shopping. Gabriel had complained that Nick could've gone, but Michael pointed out that it hadn't been Nicky who had burned the clothes. A sales lady had asked them if they needed help and Gabriel had quipped, "Fat chance".  Not only had it been rude, on top of his attitude all day, but the lady hadn't been on the slim side. It had been deliberate and Michael had never been so embarrassed in public by one of the boys so strongly before. He said 'no thank you', grabbed two pairs in the twins’ size and marched them over to the dressing room. Luckily deserted. He'd never thought he'd spank the kid in public, but there you go. And Chris had been with them, so he certainly knew.  
  
A part of Michael kind of hoped that the sales lady maybe had heard. He didn't like the thought of anyone thinking he would think Gabriel's comments okay. She hadn't said anything mean to them, was just doing her job, and Gabriel was being a rude little boy. He was lucky he hadn't swatted him right then and there, but well, he wasn't quite that parental yet. (Hopefully ever.)(He'd been so convinced that someone would call security or something on him. He'd only given Gabriel five smacks, but he'd bared his butt and had made them count. The embarrassment factored in heavily.)  
  
Chris shook his head.  
  
Michael sighed. He leaned forward and kissed the top of Chris's head.  
  
"Behave," he straightened up, taking a hand under the small face until Chris was looking at him. "Got it?"  
  
"Yes Michael."  
  
"We'll be back by three."

 

 

  
  
Chris had tried to be good.  
  
First seeing his brothers pull away had made him cry. He rubbed at his butt and wondered why he kept pestering Michael. He knew his brother was going to spank him. He figured he was going to get a smack if he kept at the door, but he'd stopped himself. Or rather Nick had dragged him back with a 'Don't be stupid!'.  
  
He'd meant to stay inside too.  
  
Michael had meant each word of his warning and Chris knew that if Michael learned he'd come outside, he was going to get his spanking. He didn't want it. Gabriel didn't recommend it. His previous experience that week told him to lock the doors and just to open the window in his room. The earlier swats reminded him further.  
  
Still, it was noon. Chris had finished almost two hours of the forbidden video games and had packed the system away. It should be cooled off enough by the time his brothers returned that they wouldn't know.  
  
He ate the sandwich Michael had left him and the cookies and the chips. He didn't feel like grabbing any fruit, but he did have a glass of milk. He was staring out the window, milk and cookies before him, thinking about how in three hours, there might not even be any rain left!  
  
Chris had thought about asking Michael when they returned for just a few minutes outside. Like when he let Gabriel on the stove or with his lighter when he was grounded. Sure, Chris could take a shower, but it wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't have the same passion or call to it like the storm outside.  
  
Three hours. He could be outside ten minutes,  _thirty_  tops. He'd shower after. Hell, he'd vacuum! Michael wouldn't have to know!  
  
He placed his cup in the sink. He would get to it before they got home. If anything, that more than anything would have him returning. He wouldn't want to leave the dishes undone again. Even just the one.   
  
It was supposed to be less than half an hour. He'd timed it on his watch.  
  
But still.  
  
"Shit!" hands gripped his shoulders and shook him. "Fuck Chris! You're an idiot!"  
  
Chris blinked. He'd been standing in the back yard, eyes up to the darkened rain filled sky.  
  
"Gabriel?" he frowned. Gabriel couldn't be there. He was with Michael, hours away.  
  
"Get your pigheaded ass inside," Gabriel turned him and dragged him in. "Found him!"  
  
Chris stilled. If Gabriel was back, oh shitshitshit!  
  
But it was Nicky and only Nicky that came down the steps. Gabriel tugged off Chris' jacket and soaked shirt and his own jacket and boots.  
  
"Hell you're crazy!" Nick pushed him into one of the kitchen table chairs. "You must really want your butt beaten bad!"  
  
Chris glanced up and around as Nick got his shoes off and stood him up to help yank off his soaked jeans. Only the fact that his underwear was slipping down grabbed Chris attention enough to help.  
  
"Relax, the big guy's not here yet," Gabriel told him.  
  
"He dropped us off and went to get dinner," Nick added. "He's gonna know the second he sees you!" Nick grabbed at his head and frowned. "You guys are soaked!"  
  
"I didn't do anything!" Gabriel held up his hands.  
  
Chris looked over at the clock on the stove. 3:15. How could this have happened?  
  
"He's going to kill me," he retorted and began to cry.  
  
"Hey!" Gabriel smacked his head hard. "No time for that!"  
  
"Right," Nick nodded as Chris hissed and rubbed his head. "No time. Gabriel, both of you, go shower!"  
  
"Both of  
  
"No time!" Nick snapped at his twin. "I'll toss this in the laundry and clear the table. Michael said he was getting Chinese. He should probably be at least another fifteen. Ugh! Go!"  
  
Nick gathered up the wet clothes as Gabriel took Chris by the shoulders and maneuvered him upstairs.  
  
"We are never speaking of this," Gabriel told his little brother as he got them into the bathroom.   
  
By some miracle, as Michael arrived with three takeout bags, Gabriel and Chris were coming down the stairs nicely scented and cleanly showered. Nick was finished clearing off the table and had even washed Chris' cup in the sink. He'd locked the back door tightly and had left the three soaked jackets in the laundry room since usually Nick was the only one down there, but sometimes he could get Gabriel or Chris to help bring stuff up or down. Michael wouldn't go there unless something broke. It was the only safe place to hide things and Michael hadn't quite caught on to Nick on that yet. And hopefully tonight wouldn't be the night.  
  
"Uh," Nick looked from his twin and little brother to his big brother. Michael frowned since the three others were looking back at him. "My turn!" Nick called, rushing to the stairs and making to go take his own bath. "Chris why don't you get Mike's jacket into the sink in the laundry room. That's where I left the others." He gave the other two a look as Nick headed up.   
  
"Hurry up," Michael told him. He handed Gabriel the bags and started taking off his dripping wet jacket.  
  
"I'll find you a towel," Chris said. Chris grabbed his jacket and was soon bolting down the basement stairs.  
  
He was super glad Earth Elementals couldn't hear any better than an average human. Chris' heart was hammering up to his ears. He took deep deep deep breaths as he dropped Michaels coat atop the others. His own hidden beneath Nick and Gabriel's. 

He needed to pull himself together! He was going to be his own dead give away. Chris sucked at lying. Especially to Michael. He had sucked at lying to his parents too. If he lied to Nick or Gabriel it wasn't really important so he could usually do that okay. It was usually something that they figured out soon enough anyway.

But if Chris didn't pull himself together, he was going to get his butt handed to him. Literally.

Deep deep deep breath.

He grabbed a towel from the dryer and headed back up the stairs.

Chinese was a peace offering. Chris felt his stomach tighten as he saw not only the food but that Michael had gotten paper plates and soda cans. Which meant no dishes for Chris.

He, Christopher Merrick, was a horrible brother.

Gabriel and Michael were setting up all the food. Some had gone into the fridge for the next day. Gabriel tossed a fortune cookie to each place setting and Michael set down their sodas. Grape for Chris, Orange for Gabriel, regular Pepsi for Nick and Root beer for Michael.

Seriously. The last time Chris had had grape soda had been the last time dad had taken them all out for pizza. Chris could cry.

"Grab some napkins," Michael instructed. "And stick them by Gabriel."

"Haha," Gabriel had rolled his eyes. Gabriel was a messy eater and it was a joke the family often said. Dad probably started it, but the truly funniest thing had been when Gabriel was nine and they were out eating buffalo wings and Mom had quietly placed a napkin on Gabriel's lap. And tucked one into his collar and had taken a third to place by his plate. "Just in case," she had winked. They had all laughed. Usually Mom wasn't one to take in on their pranks or joke like that, her having done so made it so very very epic and memorable.

Michael was going to make Christopher cry. 

Once Nick returned they started eating. It was a mostly quiet affair. Except for Gabriel. He went on and on about the arcade and Chris thought it sounded pretty cool. He hoped he'd be allowed to go next time, but that probably depended on whether Michael found out or not.

"What you do all day, Chris?" Michael asked casually.

Chris had his eyes on his plate. He tensed up and could swear he was sweating back the rain he'd stood in.

"Nothing really," he shrugged. "Uh, watched TV. Straighten my room a bit. Read some comics. Ate my sandwich." He left out the video games and rain stroll for obvious reason.

"Yeah sounds pretty boring," Gabriel commented.

"Play any video games?" Michael asked him, his tone still calm and conversational.

But Chris' sharp look over to his eldest brother gave him away. Did Michael know, or just assume?

"He was grounded," Gabriel said quickly. "He wouldn't do that."

"Chris?"

Confessing to the video games would get the video games taken from him. At least that's what Michael did to Gabriel. He knew he looked guilty enough and he had to confess to something.

Saying he'd gone outside would get him spanked. Michael had been more than clear on that.

"Um," Chris looked down and frowned. "Sorry. I got real bored," he explained. "But I didn't play that long!"

Mainly since he'd been hungry and partially because of that cool off thing. He kind of wished he'd stayed on the system and been found like that instead! If there hadn't been a storm, he probably would have.

"Bad Christopher," Gabriel shook his head.

"How long?" Michael was so calm. He could almost pretend this was a normal conversation and not a mini interrogation.

"A few hours," Chris said. He almost would've said four, just so that there couldn't be enough time for his outside stroll, but he was afraid saying an actual number would make his lying more obvious.

Michael nodded. They were all still eating and once a minute passed Gabriel picked up talking about a new Street Fighter game.

They were almost done before Michael spoke again. Gabriel had already eaten his fortune cookie, laughing out as he and Nick tried to say the Chinese words on the back. Chris had eaten slowly and was on his last egg roll; he didn't want to open his fortune. It was stupid, but he was afraid it would read out Walked Through the Rain or enjoying sitting while it lasts kid. Something morbid and obvious and dead giveaway-y.

"Chris, you alright?" Michael was so calm. He had clearly had a good time too and Chris was nothing but a troublesome burden of a little brother.

Chris nodded.

"You want to finish up and stop playing with your food then?"

He'd been picking on the edges of the egg roll. His mom and him would usually split the last one.

"I'm full," he said instead.

"Then put it away." Michael stood up and started collecting the containers. Gabriel moved to help. Nick was watching Michael closely.

Chris placed the eggroll back in its plastic little baggy and took it to the fridge. He doubted he'd be able to eat it the next day either.

"You sure you're okay?"

Chris moved back and grabbed his still half full can of grape soda. He was savoring it, but also he was kind of feeling guilty.

Chis kept his eyes in the can. He nodded.

"You got something on your mind, you might as well spill it now." Michael was leaning up against the sink and it looked a bit eerie.

Did he know? He couldn't know! Chris had bathed and Nick had set their clothes to wash. Had he grown suspicious in the minute that Chris had been in the laundry room? Had Gabriel made a stupid joke that had clued their brother in?

"Like what?"

Michael wasn't going to help him. He just shrugged.

"Anything."

Chris shook his head. He was not going to talk. He was not going to rat himself out!

Christ! He was not gonna get spanked!

Michael was fishing. He didn't know anything. He couldn't. Or so Chris kept telling himself. 

The twins were looking over now. Gabriel was still trying to smile from their laughter but it was a bit forced, Nick looked slightly bothered.

They would be no help.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Michael."

Michael frowned at him. He knew. Chris knew he knew. His face of calm and indifference was gone and he wore a face that his siblings often saw on the eldest face. The 'you're pulling some shit' face and the 'I'm having none of it' eyebrow raise.

Chris gripped at the soda can a slight bit tighter. 

_ Not going to say a damn thing! _

"You know, don't you?"

It was Nick. Chris looked over at the usually more trustworthy twin, startled. Nick. Of all people.

Michael glanced over at Nick, giving him the Look. Nick sighed and looked down at the table. Gabriel beside him, and no longer smiling, looked from his twin to his older brother.

"Well  _I_  don't know," muttered Gabriel.

"Knock it off," Michael stressed. "All of you." He locked eyes with Chris then. "I expect to hear it out of your mouth. You're not five, you should man up to things. Especially since you've been made."

Chris couldn't keep eye contact. He looked down at his socked feet, pouting.

"Christopher. Tonight please."

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"It wasn't his fault!" Gabriel tried to defend him.

"Knock it off Gabriel!" Michael moved from the counter over to Chris. He grabbed the twelve year old by the arm and started tugging him towards the stairs. Chris tried pulling his arm free, but one quick jerk of his arm got him to stop real quick.

"Michael, come on," Nick mumbled getting to his feet but not moving.

"He was cooped up in here all day, that has to count for something!"

Michael stopped them at the bottom of the steps, Chris walking into his back.

"I appreciate you two trying to get your little brother out of trouble, but he brought this on himself. Did you stop to think that maybe  _I'm_  trying to keep  _my_  little brother out of trouble? That maybe a full Water elemental, on a rainstorm, with no control ISN'T a Good Idea!"

The twins shared a look that Chris could only call as  _oh_. Chris knew how they felt. He'd only been thinking about how the water was calling out to him. How he had to touch it and let himself be in it.

He hadn't thought.

"No. You didn't." Michael gripped at the three of them. "Well, I did. I do. That's  _my_  job. I have to think about this shit, keep you three out of trouble, so that maybe -  _just maybe_  - we won't get ourselves killed!"

"Michael, I'm sorry," Chris muttered again, tears sliding down his cheeks.

Michael frowned down at him. "Yeah. Real sorry. You can’t even own up to shit. I was damn clear with you before we left, wasn't I?" Chris nodded. "I warned you not to go outside this house. I told you exactly what would happen if you did. I even had to spank you before I left! But you just won't listen!"

Michael looked over at the twins and glared at them. "You two are grounded for the weekend for helping him lie. Don't you dare, Gabriel!" he quickly added when said twin started to open his mouth. "Sometimes looking out for your little brother is letting him get into his own trouble. And maybe it'll teach the three of you that when I say something, I mean it!"

By the time they reached the upstairs, Chris was quietly bawling. He didn't notice they'd gone to Michael's room until he was flipped over his brother's lap and looking at Mom’s old area rug. Chris' room had hardwood.

Seeing the rug made Chris think about their mother more. Everything had made him think of Mom. This week was supposed to be her birthday, but no one else had remembered! Back during school, and Mother's Day, he hadn't been able to give his book report. It hadn't occurred to him until after Liz Houston had said she picked her book because I was her mom and her older sister's favorite that the reason Chris had picked his book was the same. His mother's favorite. It was too personal. And he would probably start to cry. Everyone already thought he was a wimp compared to the twins.

Five smacks brought him into the present.

"You ready to talk yet, Chris?"

Chris sniff and wiggled. So far, that was the most Michael had ever hit him. But he was sure that was just the start. No way Gabriel made such a big deal from five smacks. Chris had seen him get more, knew he would get more.

Still, he had to try and hope he got out of getting more.

"I'm sorry, I went outside when you told me not to. I didn't mean to stay there so long," Chris mumbled out a quick apology.

"How long were you out there?" Michael asked curious and concerned.

"Umm," Chris shifted around. It felt awful weird laying like that. He was wearing sweatpants after his shower, but they felt so thin compared to the strength behind his brother’s swing.

He did not want to answer that question. That question was not going to do him any good. Michael was right, he'd had no business going outside. He should've just leaned out his bedroom window. Michael couldn't have gotten mad at him if he did that. Maybe swatted him, because he would probably forget to close the window and would likely make half his things soaked again. Chris could handle getting swatted. It hurt, but he'd been swatted now twice and he was okay after maybe an hour. It smarted but it wasn't enough to cry over. Not like if he answered that question. 

Michael however didn't seem to think the same. He spanked Chris again, probably another five or six times.

"I really hate talking for no reason, Chris. Answer the question. You phased out out there, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Chris hiccupped. He buried his head between his arms and Michael's leg. He really hated this. He didn't like that Michael was mad at him and he didn't like that he had no way to defend himself.

"How long?"

"I only wanted out a few minutes," Chris tried to explain. "I set an alarm and everything!"

"You hadn't been in a storm in a while," Michael told him. "You're not strong enough to stop yourself. Your element is going to call out to you all the time, and you can’t always answer it. It can get dangerous, Christopher. You shouldn't have been out there alone and you know it!"

Chris would've liked to tell Michael he was wrong, would've loved for a reason for this particular punishment to end - but he had none. Michael was right. As far as things were going these days, Michael was always right. Funny how Michael didn't seem so right when Mom and Dad were alive, but he had certainly gained the wisdom in the year since.

"How long?" Michael asked again.

"Three hours," he said low, kind of hoping that Michael wouldn't hear him.

"Three hours? Three hours? Jesus Christ Christopher! Are you trying to get caught? Or do you just want to get us all killed?!"

"I'm sorry," was the only thing he could think to say.

Michael didn't say anything else either. He spanked him for a good long bit. Chris kind of wished he'd gotten spanked before Michael started spanking on Gabriel. Maybe then he wouldn't have as much experience or technique or whatever the hell it was that made him able to light quite the fire on his little brothers' disobedient bums. He wondered briefly if Gabriel gained any kind of charge from the heat, but he didn't think this was the kind of fire that called out to his brother. At least he would hope not.

It was probably not even two minutes, but it felt like an hour.

Michael stood him up. Chris tried to wipe away the tears from his face but new ones sprung out quickly. Michael place his hands on Chris' neck, one particularly warmer than the other. He tried not to think about that, but his throbbing bottom made it the only thought in his mind.

"Jesus Chris," Michael sighed. "That was a very stupid thing you did. Hell, it would've been better off if you'd played video games all afternoon! I think I would've been considerably less pissed off."

"Hindsight," Chris shrugged, his breath hitching. 

Michael scoffed. "Yeah, right." he shook his head, dropping his hands to Chris' hands and pulling him into a hug. Chris instantly attached himself to Michael. Much like after spanking Gabriel, Michael felt awful inside and could only imagine that his little brothers felt the same. Alongside the sore bum.

He held Chris and the younger boy started crying even more. Michael had no idea what to do. He had his own shit he was trying to deal with, but that always had to take a backseat to his brothers' needs. He wished he was better at serving those needs, maybe things would be easier. But he was barely a kid himself. He wished someone was around to turn to, even just to talk. Someone that might understand how horrible it was to have to dish out punishments when he himself should probably still be getting ground for shit.

Just last weekend had been Mom’s birthday. Michael had raided what was left of Dad's beer and had gotten quite wasted. He had been having a bottle every now and then, but he'd had three then. More than he had ever had at once in his life. He felt miserable afterwards and he should not have been driving around the next day. But he had to work. He had to be the adult and get the kids moving. He had been sweating buckets when a cop car passed him and he swear he would never drink again. If he got pulled over, there wouldn't be anyone to bail him out. There wouldn't be anyone left to watch the boys. He had been stupid and he had noticed it way too late. Luckily, the cop car waited for the green and went on his way. Michael had had to pull over and threw up, he'd driven home afterwards and had rescheduled his last job. The boys hadn't realized a thing and he was grateful. He had to be the observant one now, catch the shit they did, even if no one did it for him. He had to do what Mom and Dad would've wanted, even if it wasn't how they would've done it.

"You're okay now," he whispered into Chris' ear. "We're done here. Nothing happened, and you learned from this. And next time, you won't do something like that without thinking. I know it's harsh, but you're smart. You're going to be okay."

Chris nodded. He leaned up against Michael's chest, much more content to just be held than Gabriel usually was by this point. That was okay. Michael didn't mind holding his baby brother. Chris turned his head enough to wipe at his eyes. He leaned his head down on Mikes shoulder and sighed.

"Gabriel's right," he muttered.

"Bout what?" Michael frowned, wondering what particular gem the thirteen year old had deemed to share with his little brother.

"Not worth it," Chris shook his head. He turned his head enough to match his ready eyes with Michaels. "Gabriel reckons at least doctors have lollipops or something. This just sucks."

Michael rolled his eyes. "Well, it's a different kind of medicine, I guess. Obedience its own reward."

Chris shook his head and lowered his gaze. Now he felt extremely tired.

"I think I'll go take a bath now," he muttered. "And go to bed?" he knew he was grounded, so while it was early, he would be sent to bed soon enough anyway. And just then he didn't mind it so bad.

"Bed sounds good," Michael nodded. "But no shower. You're not going to go in there and heal up. Sorry. You're going to feel that, at least for a day."

Chris looked at him and pouted. He wanted to complain, but the look Michael cast had stopped him. His brother had been mastering his 'don't mess with me' look. They certainly gave him plenty of chances to use it. 

"Michael," he mumbled, trying to put up a fight.

"Don't even try," Michael told him. He stood up, easily taking Chris with him. Instead of being taken to his room, Michael turned to the large bed behind them. He deposited his baby brother in the middle.

"Mike!" Chris groaned, both from posterior pain and brotherly embarrassment.

"I can't trust you right now,” Michael told him. "You can't be alone. So you'll sleep here. Shut up and lie down."

Chris pouted the whole time. Michael moved around the room, tidying up. Chris looked the room over. It wasn't the first time he'd been into here since Mom and Dad, but maybe the longest. Michael had changed a few things, but he'd kept a lot too. Dad’s things would soon fit Mike. Mom’s things wouldn’t go to them, but they couldn't quite give them up either. Their drawers still remained untouched. Michael had done their laundry and put things away. Nick had noticed and pointed it out. Nick didn't think Michael was so slow on the laundry thing like he said. Mike had the dryer figured out now at least. But Nick needed to feel useful too. Chris spotted a few odds and ends, smiled at the baby pictures Mom kept on her dresser. Dad’s boots and wallet were still by the chair next to the closet. He wondered how Michael could sleep there every night.

"What do you think we would've done this year?" he asked all of a sudden.

Michael looked over from some papers he was tossing on the desk Mom used to run the business from. Mike preferred the kitchen table.

"Huh?"

Chris stared at the picture of all of them. It was his own second birthday. Before they'd moved. Before Michael had been a full elemental. Before any of them even knew what that meant. They were at the zoo. Dad held a twin in each arm. Mom had her arms wrapped around Michael's shoulder. Michael was holding a tiny Chris with a burger king crown on his little head. They were all smiling.

"mom’s birthday."

Michael was moving again but Chris didn't look at him. Instead, Chris felt himself once again lifted into his brother’s arms. This time Michael sat holding him. Chris quietly cried, and if the wetness against his own neck was indication, Mike was too.

A minute later the twins appeared at the doorway. They sat quietly at the foot to the bed until they were acknowledged. Michael started off telling them how Dad came to get their mother Broadway theater tickets and towards the end, Chris was smushed against Michael and next to Nick, Gabriel stretched out at their feet. He never heard the ending of the story, he was already asleep. 

 

 


	4. Part Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last Part. Two brothers, because things for Michael can never be easy.  
> *This was inspired by one of the stories Gabriel told Hunter (I believe) in one of their books.

## ~4~

 

Michael was up all night. It happened sometimes. He had a lot on his mind and he couldn't always get to sleep.

This night, he had been trying to see if he could fill an order. It was quite a dumb thing to be awake over, but you can't exactly chose your fears.

Things were a bit easier now. Just a bit. The twins could help more on the jobs in the weekends. They took Chris along most of the time, though at thirteen he wasn't always happy about it.

That's about where the "easier" started and ended.

Michael had been out late, trying his hand at dating. He had only done it because his brothers were being so annoying about it. They shouldn't be caring about his love life - to which Gabriel would've likely scoffed and said  _what_  love life? Still, it was nice of them to care, he guessed. So when the opportunity arose, he didn't say no.

But once he got home, he fell into his own self-doubts. 

There was no way he could bring a girl into his world. He had the boys. He had a business to run. And then there was the teeny, tiny thing about their Elemental powers that had people wanting to kill his whole family.

Yeah, he was better off sticking to the normal crap that crammed his head.

It was two in the morning and he was lying awake in bed. He had gotten home a bit after midnight and had done some cleaning. (The boys were a mess on a good day, an absolute horror when unsupervised.) He had gone to bed, but he hadn't slept yet.

He hadn't checked on the boys. In hindsight, he should've. But it would've resulted the same way, he supposed. 

It was fifteen minutes past two in the morning when he heard a noise. He checked his watch and the clock as he got up, grabbing a bat on his way. Michael glanced over at the unopened doors of his brothers. He wasn't about to call them. It could be nothing. It usually was. 

It was embarrassing how paranoid raising his brothers had made him.

Michael made his way down the stairs in the dark. Something he probably wouldn't even dare to do in the day. Boys and their messes. But he had cleaned the stairs and halls on his way up. It was the mothering in him now, he supposed.

Once downstairs he heard more noise and knew he wasn't imagining it his time. It came from the back door.

Michael moved cautiously towards it. He was practically useless inside, but the bat was solid oak, he could pack a damn good swing into it, and get whoever the hell was trying to get in outside.

No one was getting at his brothers.

The door was slowly swinging open just as Michael got beside it. He could barely see the silhouettes, but he saw that it was two of them, and they were probably teens. 

Of course, he should've realized it then. He didn't. Not until a small, whispered "Quiet" reached his ears. Just as he was about to swing.

And the lights flicked on.

 

"Jesus Christ!"

That was Nick. Michael had just about bashed Gabriel's head in for him, but his twin's quiet warning had saved them both. At least from a bat to the skull.

Michael leaned the bat against the wall and stepped back. He'd flicked the outside lights on, but it was enough for them all to see each other.

Gabriel swung around instantly, alarm in his own eyes. It settled for a second, before realization set in. 

Yeah. Busted.

"What. The. Hell?!"

The twins shared a look. Michael knew it well. It was their "Oh Shit" look. Usually, Gabriel would be the one wearing it, but it looked exactly the same on either boys' face.

Michael reached forward and grabbed Gabriel by the back of his hoodie. He pulled him further into the house and released him to do the same to Nick. Both stayed just where he left them and Michael turned to close the back door. He gave the yard a quick scan, but there was nothing out there. Nothing but two stupid Merricks.

Michael switched the light off, engulfing them back into darkness, until he was able to get to the lamp close by.

He turned back to the twins and their equally wide, busted, anxious eyes.

"Where were you?"

Gabriel bit his lip and squirmed. The kid knew, no matter what came out of his mouth now, he was getting his ass spanked. The fourteen year olds had  _no_  business being out at that time. None.

Nick looked like he was gasping for air, which was kind of ironic, his being an Air Elemental. But Michael knew what he was really freaking out about. Nick was the one good Merrick. Michael had had no real problems with him. The last three years raising his younger brothers had been trying, but Nick was the one brother who hadn't given him a hard time.

Michael couldn't even recall having swatted him. He probably had. And if he had, it wouldn't have been anything more than his slip on language or not getting to bed on time. Things that Michael wasn't too bothered by unless he was really really tired.

But tonight the kid’s luck had run out.

Not that Michael  _wanted_  to spank him. He didn't wanted to spank any of his brothers. His parents had never spanked them and Michael himself had turned out…okay. But he wasn't his parents. He was just barely an adult himself, raising twin fourteen year olds and a thirteen year old that didn't always want to do as told. Chris wasn't a problem though. He was one brother that was used to having to listen to everyone else. It was usually Gabriel that stressed Michael.

Like, not answering his question.

"Hey!" he yelled at them, causing them both to jump slightly and look over at him. He wasn't too worried about waking Chris. Either now or when he beat their asses, there would be noise. The kid was smart enough to stay up in his room. 

"Good, so you can hear me," he said a tone lower. "Do I have to ask you again?"

Gabriel looked down and shook his head.

"We didn't…we weren't …we…" Nick tried, but he wasn't always so good at being confronted. Or lying.

"You want to stop before you dig yourself a grave?" Michael eyed him, though he doubted the boys could see him glaring. The light was behind him, and he was able to see them.

Nick shut his mouth and looked down to the ground. He reached back and scratched his head.

"You boys took advantage of my being out tonight," he couldn't help himself from glaring and growling at them. He felt he was always doing one or the other lately, but both told him how furious he really was.

Pretty. Freaking. Furious.

Which was probably good. Fury was powering his body and keeping him awake. And he wasn’t trying to think about how this would be the first time he would have to spank Nick, and two brothers at the same time. 

There had been a few times he had  _almost_  spanked Nick. Usually when the twins were after Chris. And once when he caught the twins fooling around with their powers outside, during a job. He'd swatted Gabriel (who was almost instantly bright red and eyes on his work from then on), but he'd only warned and glared at Nick. He abilities were more subtle, less likely to cause a stir, which had probably saved Nick from his own smack. That and he had been further away.

"You took off, without letting me know, left your little brother by himself, and have been out for hours doing God only knows what!" Michael’s voice was raising as he lectured. The boys looked up at him occasionally, but mostly at their shoes.

"Where were you?!"

They both started talking, but it was so ridiculous they really should've stayed silent. 

"We're sorry," Nick muttered. 

At the same time, Gabriel tried to keep his eyes from moving suspiciously all over the room. He tried to maintain eye contact with Michael, but the lighting wasn't too good. Not to mention it was obvious how pissed Mike was. 

"Outside," was his reply, and he winced as soon as he spoke.

Michaels focus on him was instantaneous. Gabriel tensed an almost took a step back. 

"Is this funny to you?" Michael grit his teeth. "You find sneaking out and lying to me funny?"

"No Michael," came Nick's reply.

Michael held his hand up at the other teen. He didn't need to hear Nick. He didn't even want to hear Gabriel. He had wanted to be in bed.

"Gabriel?"

But the troublemaker in front of him just bit at his lip and shook his head. 

"Where. Were. You?" he asked again. 

"We were at the park," Nick replied quickly.

Michael turned a skeptical eye towards his brother. 

"The park? Really?" he scoffed. They were fourteen. The last time they'd been to the park had been when Michael had taken them when Chris had wanted to go. It was a drizzle out that day and Chris was still young enough to appreciate just running around and having fun. Not that the twins hadn't enjoyed themselves. Sure, Gabriel wasnt such a fan of the rain, but they still had fun.

Not enough fun to warrant a midnight stroll however. 

"We were bored," Gabriel added. "And we … we"

"We knew you'd be out late," sighed Nick. "We didn't mean to take so much time. We're sorry."

Michael glared at them. Not that he had expected a smart excuse, they were just kids after all, but the sheer stupidity behind their actions just served to infuriate him more.

"You were bored?"

"There's no excuse," Nick rectified. "We just, we saw an opportunity and

"We took it," Gabriel finished. "It wasn't our intent to worry you, Michael. Sorry."

A part of Michael actually cringed at that. He had definitely been worried, but not like the twins thought. He hadn't even realized that they had been gone. And what kind of brother pseudo-parent did that make him!

"That's the stupidest shit I think I've ever heard, and Gabriel has certainly tossed some epic excuses before." Michael shook his head.

"Well, what would you expect?" Gabriel shrugged. "I mean, it was a stupid thing to do."

Nick had enough brains left to glare at his twin.

"Do yourself a favor and shut your mouth."

Both boys looked down at their dirty shoes again. Had he not seen them now, Michael was positive that he would've woken up to the knowledge. Muddy footprints long forgotten by the troublesome twosome. It wouldn't be the first time that the kids got caught because of their footwear.

Michael was furious. It might have part to do with his own tiredness, but he wasn't about to let that excuse them. Not this time.

His hands were becoming a permanent accessory against his hips.

"I'm beyond disappointed in you boys," he told them. "And I'm beyond tired."

"Sorry Mike," cringed Nick.

Michael glared at the twin. He turned and sat over at the couch's edge, just beside the lit lamp.

"I hope this was worth it," he told them. "Nicholas."

The fourteen year olds eyes grew comically large. Michael might have laughed in any other situation. 

Where had the kid thought this was going?

Not that Michael enjoyed the idea of spanking the fourth remaining Merrick.

"Michael?" his voice squeaked. Nick looked from Michael to Gabriel. Neither was giving him a helpful response.

"Don't act stupid, Nick." He pointed at the ground in front of him. Nick's head rotation from Mike to Gabriel now included the space in front of his big brother.

"But-"

"Now!" snapped Michael, his tiredness coming out loud and strong.

Both twins jumped at the harshness in his voice. Most of it was being tired, but he wasn't about to mention that.

Slowly enough, Nick started walking forward. Michael glared at him until he was close enough to glare at. 

Michael reached out and grabbed Nick's arm. Just as quickly, he had his brother at his side.

"You're getting spanked Nicholas," Michael told him. "I hate being lied to. You know you're not to leave this house without my knowing! And especially not at night."

"Michael, please," a teary eyed Nicholas pouted.

Michael shook his head.

"You're getting spanked," he repeated. "There is NO excuse for you two today."

No further preamble. No long rants or lectures.

He had thought it would be awkward, having never had Nick in that position. But, as much as he liked to offer up their differences, he couldn't help but realize Nick and Gabriel were just the same.

Looking up, he could see Gabriel trying to blend into the shadows. It wasn't natural to see Gabriel being so quiet and still.

"You boys know what we're up against," Michael lectured as he glanced from Nick's stiff back to Gabriel's stillness. "You know how dangerous getting caught out there, how they test us. As if that wasn't enough, what if something happened! If the police saw you, grabbed you, do you honestly think that you'll be allowed to remain here?"

"Sorry, Michael!" Nick sputtered, the sensitive teen was already fighting the tears.

"Think about that next time you two try and deceive me."

Starting this spanking was probably the hardest yet. The times with Gabriel and Chris had been spur of the moment. He had been there those times as they were misbehaving. With Nick, some how it was harder.

Michael felt horrible, but the only thing that got his hand moving was thinking about what the boys had done. And thinking of Gabriel, at least for that first second.

Nick was mostly still, but he was loud.

It was a split seconds thought, but Michael couldn't help realize in all of the ways that the kids were different. Even as he doled out the same spanking to each of them, they reacted differently.

It didn't take much. Michael was using a bit more force than he had for the other boys' first time. But Nick was fourteen. And he was a good kid. And it was late.

Michael hoped to never have to repeat this again.

Two minutes. Less than probably.

Nick was instantly in his arms the second that Michael righted him.

"Sorry. So sorry," Nick kept muttering.

Michael just held him tightly. He didn't need to talk, not to Nick. The kid was probably more aware of his wrongs than Michael himself would be. What surprised Michael more was that Nick usually talked Gabriel out of things like sneaking out at night. He guessed that it was a part of growing up. He would have to deal with some kind of rebellion from the teen, it was only natural.

Michael had certainly given their parents plenty of rebellion to work with. And while Michael couldn't exactly say that he had been on the giving end of a lot wisdom, he tried to think about how his parents would react to most things.

It took a minute, but Nick calmed himself down. He stayed in Mike's arms, just being held and squeezing him back, but he was no longer crying. 

"You okay?" Michael felt awkward asking. He wanted to know not so much about the crying or the pain, but if their relationship wasn't broken. But Nick was pretty much a great kid, and he wasn't the first to be under Michael's hands.

Nick leaned back and nodded.

Michael tried to study his face, but other than red and teary and sad, he couldn't see that the boy had suffered any kind of trauma. Or at least, he was being hopeful.

"Sorry," Nick muttered again.

Michael nodded. He glanced over at the other culprit, who was wearing his own matching face of sorrow.

"Switch places with your brother," Michael said.

He hadn't done this to two of the boys before at once. He had only had to discipline Chris a handful of times. It was mostly Gabriel that rattled his nerves enough to bring the kid over his knee.

Both twins frowned at him.

"But, Michael," Gabriel, as always tried to talk him out of it.

"It wouldn't be fair," Michael said calmly, giving the now wide eyed Nick a push towards Gabriel's position.

Nick was pouting and Gabriel was gaping like a fish. Slowly, they started walking on their own, switching places. Michael tried to steel his own heart. It hurt to hurt the boys, and he felt like he was always hurting Gabriel, but he couldn't afford to have him - any of them - misusing their powers and risking their lives.

Gabriel gave him a final sad glance, his eyes already watery from having watched his twin receive his spanking. But he was quite the trooper, placing himself over Michael's lap without further instruction.

Having to be the bad guy twice in a row, Michael probably wasn't as harsh as he might have been had it only been Gabriel again. From Gabriel's whimpers and his cries, the kid wasn't exactly noticing.

It probably didn't take more than a minute before Gabriel was in his arms hugging him.

Twenty minutes later and each kid was in his room and fast asleep. They had showered and gotten into their pajamas and had each stood in front of him and hugged him and apologized before getting into their beds.

It took Michael a lot longer than to calm himself and sleep. He looked in on Chris and the twins a handful of times that night. He left the outside lights on, kept glancing out there and looking at the grounds around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that folks is the last of this story! It would certainly not be easy to raise one Merrick, let alone three! Especially when one of the kids is Gabriel.
> 
> The story Gabriel told Hunter was about how he and Nick would sneak out to practice lighting fertilizer on fire. They never told Michael about it, knowing that their brother/guardian would be pissed, but it was one of the things that Gabriel was missing about Nick. At that particular point in the series, the twins weren't even talking to each other. And Gabriel was realizing that he did tended to use Nick a lot, but he didn't mind being "used" himself. He considered his twin an essential part of him and was struggling to get them back on good terms.
> 
> Gah! I hope you've read the series, they're great books!
> 
> I had hoped to write another Elemental series story, which would take place in the "present" of the novels. Let me know what you think!
> 
> Thank you for reading and the kudos!   
> Hugs, Ann

**Author's Note:**

> This is a reposting of a story I posted on my site: annwrites.synthasite.com
> 
> This is also the first of my posting on the site, so I'm kind of using this to see if I'm doing this all correctly. :)
> 
> Thanks for reading! ~ Ann


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